Photo courtesy of USDA ARS, by Rob Flynn
EggIndustry * 19
Should vaccines to combat avian influenza, like this one being developed by USDA ARS, be used as part of an
eradication effort or should they only be used if the disease is endemic?
strain of the outbreak virus.
The basic idea behind updating the viral antigen used to make the virus is sound. Dr. Eduardo Lucio, director of IASA, a producer of
avian influenza vaccine, explained, "It should
be very similar to that used in the case of human influenza vaccines, where the laboratories
that produce these vaccines must update their
vaccine seeds every year."
The problem is that even with better homology between the vaccine seed stock and the
field strain of the virus, birds will still become
infected when exposed to the
field strain of the virus and
will shed virus. Vaccination
alone won't eradicate the virus. Destruction of infected
flocks and proper handling
of manure from these flocks
still need to be employed if
the virus is to be eradicated. Relying on vaccination as the primary tool of control for avian
influenza is a strategy for coping with the continued presence of the virus in the environment,
not eradication.
Defining a successful avian flu
vaccination program
Many in Mexico consider the avian influenza
vaccination program to be a success, because it
has reduced the losses and prevented the Mexican poultry industry from being wiped out. Just
■ RELYING ON VACCINATION AS THE PRIMARY TOOL OF
CONTROL FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA IS A STRATEGY FOR
COPING WITH THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF THE VIRUS
IN THE ENVIRONMENT, NOT ERADICATION.
www.WATTAgNet.com * July 2015

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